Yes, it has been close to forever since I wrote over here at The One Armed Chef. And to be honest The One Armed Chef might have to revamp and get a new address so that there can be more photos! We will see about that. In the mean time here is a completely non cooking related post. I once was a Mary Kay consultant and I had lots of fun! But now with an international move in our future it is time for me to sell my little store and focus on different things. Here you will find a complete list of my current inventory. Thanks for looking for it and if you are interested in purchasing something you can email your orders here: fowlerfam4@hotmail.com

Thank you!

Mary Kay “At Cost” SALE!!!

***Note: There is no tax on the sales. All prices are listed “at cost.” I will ship for free to out of town customers on orders over $25. All sales will be final and I will do no refunds. I would be happy to give a referral to anyone who would like a Mary Kay consultant for future products. Thank you!!!***

Medium Coverage Foundations: $7.50

Ivory 104

Beige 404

Beige 305 (4 available)

Beige 302 (2 available)

Beige 402

Beige 300

Bronze 500

Bronze 504

Bronze 507

Full Coverage Foundations: $7.50

Ivory 104

Beige 300

Mineral Powder Foundations: $9.00

Ivory 1

Beige 0.5 (2 available)

Beige 1.5

Beige 2

Bronze 1

Bronze 2 (2 available)

Bronze 3

Bronze 4

Bronze 5

Bronze 3 & 4 –barely used demo–$4 each

Sheer Mineral Pressed Powder in Ivory 2 $8.00

Compacts: unfilled and accessories

Compact Pro $17.50 (1 available)

Mary Kay Travel Roll Up Bag $15.00

Mary Kay Brush Collection $24

Mineral Powder Foundation Brush $5.00

Compact cheek brush $1.25

eye applicators $1.25

Timewise Products

Hand and Decollete cream with sunscreen spf 15 $9.00

Targeted Action Eye Revitalizer (2 available) $17.50

Day Solution spf 25 (2 available) $15.00

Age Fighting Lip Primer (2 available) $11.00

Targeted Action Line Reducer $20.00

3-in-1 Cleanser (normal to dry) $9.00

Targeted Action Toning Lotion $14.00

Microdermabrasion Step 1 and 2 $27.50 (will not sell separate)

3-in-1 Cleansing Bar (for all skin types) (2 available) $9.00

Other Skin Products

Velocity Lightweight moisturizer $6.00

Oil Mattifier (3 available) $7.50

Satin Lips Set $9.00 (will not sell separate)

Indulge Soothing Eye Gel $7.50

Intense Moisturizing Cream (has been opened to look at but not used; selling reduced beyond 50%) $9.00

Drumroll please. The name of the new blog which will host the fabulous new book which you will read and love, shall be called….

The Living French Experiment

And I’m so super excited about it!!! Most of the blog is set up and ready and all I’m doing now is some finishing touches on the first part of chapter 1. I’m so happy to have you all on this journey with me too! I will unveil the The Living French Experiment in a few short days so stay tuned!

And coming soon to The One Armed Chef….

A fabulous Every Day Gourmet recipe for homemade, on the fly, pasta sauce. You are going to love it!

Well, here we are. State-side. I’m not going to lie. It’s not my favorite transition. We might be dealing with a bit of reverse culture shock. For example: why is everyone dressed like Barbie Disco?! I needed my sunglasses for a recent trip to Target. And everyone is so busy busy busy. I get tired just watching everyone bustle around. We miss our quiet village.

I mean, yes, Paris is bustling too. I’ve been thinking about that and wondering what the difference is. And I think it is the beauty. The Parisians surround themselves with breathtaking beauty: in the architecture, in the public parks, in the art on corners and in windows, with the Seine moving under the ornate bridges and with food that is museum worthy in it’s own way.

And we just miss it. It became our norm and now the culture here seems abnormal and uncomfortable. Yes. I’m sure we will recover and settle in but we don’t want to settle in too much. We want to keep some of our learned French habits alive and well.

From this desire to keep France close a new project is brewing around here in our brains. We learned a lot while in France, not just language but also some ways of life that fascinated us. I started writing it down and fleshing it out in book form and low and behold a few people have found it interesting and feel it needs it’s own space.

So I’m pleased to announce that the launch of a new blog is in the works. It will house the content of my little “book” and will document a one year experiment on “living French” and I promise lots and lots of pictures!!

Will you commit to read my little thoughts on French life? Maybe you will want to join in the experiment? Will you share me with your friends. The goal is to write and get enough feedback over the next year to see if I should turn it into a real book. I need you, reader! I need your friends and your family to weigh in, to be an honest sounding board.

In the next couple of weeks you might hear from me again, reminding you of the upcoming launch. Thanks so much for following our journey and moving on with me too!

But wait! What will become of The One Armed Chef?!!! Well, I think it is high time that it became a food blog again! ;) So you will want to check back here often for the latest creations coming out of my little kitchen!

…Is coming to an end. We leave France is 5 short days! We can’t believe that it is already time to start yet another chapter of life. We are excited about new beginnings in Tuscaloosa and working towards our new beginnings one day soon in France. This will the my last post from France!

Pray for our next week of goodbyes and packing and pray especially for our travels. We have a grueling flight schedule: Paris to London; London to Chicago; Chicago to Knoxville! Pray all our luggage makes it and that our children don’t go crazy in all that! Thanks everyone for sending us to France and for receiving us back with open arms. We have learned SO much and we can’t to share it with you all. See you next week!

I am seriously shocked every time I look at the calendar! Today is the last day of school for the kids. Peter has gotten the urge to pack. We will clean out the desk and all the other random things around our few little rooms and pack anything we don’t need in the next 3 weeks. Soon we will start the process of separating the kids toys to bring back.

A few days ago we were able to go out with some new friends, just me and Peter! They took us to Paris and we climbed the Arc de Triomphe and watched the sunset. We then went to the premier brasserie in Paris. It was so lovely and we had great conversation and just feel so blessed to have new french friends.

We are still hoping to make it into Paris one last time with the children. We promised them we would let them play at the big playground in Luxembourg Gardens and we really want to see Monet’s paintings and a few other museums before we go as well. I would personally love to spend another day all by myself at the Louvre, taking it all in. I do adore it. Peter wants to watch the last day of the Tour de France in Chartres as well.

That all seems like a lot for just 3 more weeks! ;) Guess we better get busy.

Ok so 5 days just flew by. It’s a beautiful day here in France and even though it is early still Peter and Owen took an hour bike ride in our little forest. The girls and I are basking in the sunshine streaming through my window, them reading little stories, me blogging. Ethan has actually been playing really well in the little playroom! If y’all have been wondering, Ethan is still just as fierce and intense as ever!

We are excited about being involved in our community a bit today. Owen has a birthday party to go to for his “meilleur ami” (best friend). He is going to be sad to leave him at the end of the month. :(

Peter and I have a dinner date with new friends tonight! Why is it that right before we are leaving that we begin to develop better relationships? It has opened our eyes though. Intentional life here…it’s possible.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how different life is here from in the States. They live beautifully and yet they do things that really, if Americans would implement, they would save a lot of money. You dont have to do without to be financially healthy. You dont even have to be frugal. Ya, I’ve got lot’s of thoughts on this subject brewing. There *might* even be a book brewing….. (shhhhh. dont tell.)

People. 35 days. That is not even possible!!!!! The kids will be done with school next week, there are a few birthday parties and tea times to go to, a few more museums to look at and then all the sorting and purging of junk that we acquired and then…packing. I feel like the last 12-14 months has been nothing but me packing in various degrees. Phew.

Ok so this isnt the most exciting post but it is a way for me to track our return to the land of America! I promise to check back in soon…

It’s time for a sampling of more photos here on The One Armed Chef of our time here in France. You will see the rest of the medieval festival in which the knights did NOT die while running at each other full speed on big horses with huge lances, some scenes from Monet’s Gardens, and some fountain fun at Versailles. And…probably some other randomness thrown in there too.

AND some links :)

Have you “liked” Journey International on facebook yet? It is another great way to get frequent updates about what ministry and life looks like here in France. So go run do that and come right back….

Did you do it? Yes? Great. Ok, now run right back over there and share us with your friends!

Done? Yay, thank you!!!

Here is the most important link: Tuscaloosa Vineyard Giving Page!!!! yep. The long and the short of it (what a weird saying…) is that we need more funds to finish out strong here in France! We have some awesome ministry opportunities that simply will. not. happen. ifmore funds dont come in! ack! SO…will you join in with the Body and give towards His work in France? Do you go to a church with a heart for missions? Do you know people who have a heart for France? Consider donating a bit and passing the need on to others too. Honestly a handful of people or churches giving even just a little will get the job done. Thanks for standing with us in this season! God is moving in France!

ps. when giving at the Tuscaloosa Vineyard’s website please put “Journey International” in the memo or note spot when prompted at the church’s paypal site. Thank you!!!

And then my camera battery died! ugh. SO I will add more photos tomorrow off Peter’s iphone of the real deal jousting! It was incredible. I thought someone was going to get killed. Everyone came out unscathed, thankfully! :)

ALSO: We have important info up on our Journey International site. So hop on over there and read all about it!!!!

Can cake really be truly gourmet? Can cake really be truly ministry? That’s a bit far fetched, right? No. No it’s not. But there is only one way for you to truly believe me and that is for you to make this cake yourself. So below is the recipe for Hallelujah Cake and trust me, you will want to either write it down or bookmark the page or something because I promise you will make this thing again and again!

But first a story about how this cake got the name “Hallelujah” and how it made it to the Every Day Gourmet under the title “ministry.” I mean those are big shoes to fill. First of all I can in no way at all take credit for this cake. It was actually birthed out of ministry. I am part of a wonderful online community of mommas encouraging one another and the recipe was posted there by a mom who is also a minister to the Body in SO many ways AND her husband is not only a pastor but also a Chaplain for the military. So you really should go check out this awesome forum: Mothering by Grace.

On Friday night the whole fam went down to a party in the village and we were supposed to bring something to share so I thought a nice safe sweet dessert would be best. Everyone on Mothering by Grace was raving about this cake and it was simple so I made it. Then I smothered it in the ganache and then we went down to our little party. The kids ran around and played with all their french friends and the adults stood around and drank wine (it’s France people) and nibbled on the food and talked and talked and talked and smoked and talked. It was great and honestly Peter and I didnt eat hardly a bite of food because so many people came up to us to talk about the chocolate cake!!!! Not lying! Are you hearing me?! Relational doors opened because of chocolate cake. Chocolate speaks every language and as my friend Connie pointed out the word Hallelujah translates in every language too. So it just seems fitting to combine those two.

But there are so many more ways this cake can fit under the “ministry” title. You could take it to a family who needs meals, to a church party, to your pastor to say “thanks”, to your mom for Mother’s day, for your child if they do good on a test, for the husband if he has a bad day or… for yourself when you finally get that moment to yourself. You know, that well fought for time when your kids are finally asleep and the dryer is whirring and the dishes are drying and suddenly your realize that the moment is for you; and you get that beautiful cake out of it’s hiding place and you take a bite and I promise you will feel the full impact of it’s ministry and you will say: Hallelujah!!!!!!

And why is the cake “gourmet”? Because is a) made from yummy chocolate and b) covered in ganache!!!!! The word ganache makes anything gourmet.

SO without further ado I present the recipe for Hallelujah Cake in all it’s glory. I am sorry there are no pictures because I didnt have the forethought to take a pic before we went to the party and it was gone super fast….so, I will take this as a challenge and therefore must make another one soon, take a picture and post them hear ASAP.

This is the recipe in Lisa’s words from Mothering by Grace (she is super funny!):

Here’s what I do: I basically use an equal number of ounces of dark chocolate and heavy cream. Even though they’re different kinds of ounces, that’s what works best for me. (I use 10-12 oz. each to have enough to cover the cake) Heat the cream to a simmer, turn off heat, add the chocolate and whisk until all the chocolate is melted. Sometimes I turn a low flame on to keep the pot hot while I continue to whisk. But that’s because I’m using chocolate chips that don’t melt as easily. Be gentle. And patient to make sure it’s all melted. I also add a bit of vanilla. And that’s it. I finish cooling it in the fridge, whisking occasionally to keep it smooth. It could be overkill. But it’s what I do. It will thicken in fridge to spreadable consistency, spread then, before it gets too hard. Make truffles out of the leftover ganache.

If you pour warm ganache over a piece of this cake, you might cry. Because it’s too good to control yourself.

If you spread cooled ganache over a slightly warm cake, you get this magic spot in the middle where the cake and the chocolate have become one.

If you spread cooled ganache over a completely cooled cake, you have a wonderful chocolate cake with a smooth chocolate top.

I did a few different things but not anything significant: I had to use vinegar and milk instead of buttermilk and I used a whisk in stead of a handheld mixer and I used French chocolate. Obviously the better quality chocolate you use the more amazing the cake will be. You can also top with any kind of fruit which I am going to try next time. But if you really want to go gourmet then you will add a capful or so of Grand Marnier!!! Which I will definitely do next time I make this!!!

Why I’m Blogging

there is much adventure to be had in raising children and in discovering good food! And so why not share those experiences? Often it will be funny and hopefully helpful for other cooks who have their hands full. Enjoy!